imagine... Season 12 Episode 3 - Helvetica

Airdate: 2007-Nov-06

Episode summary:

The world's most popular typeface celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Millions of people use and read Helvetica every day, on public transport, newspapers, shop fronts and computers. Through interviews with designers and type enthusiasts, the film tells the story of how a typeface drawn by a little-known Swiss designer in 1957 became one of the most popular ways to communicate. Though Helvetica has gone in and out of fashion it has never gone away - is this a symptom of globalisation or simply a reflection that it is the ultimate typeface?

About imagine... series:

The biggest names from the world of art, film, music, literature and dance. Alan Yentob gets close up with those shaping today's cultural worl...Show more >